Abstract: Clifton's Cafeteria was opened in downtown Los Angeles in 1931 by Clifford E. Clinton, who also opened several other branches
of his restaurant in later years. Clinton was also active in local politics and an advocate for civil reform. His restaurant
published circulars, beginning in 1931, containing inspirational thoughts, poetry, short prose pieces and a calendar of upcoming
events for customers, first weekly and then monthly. It ceased publication in 1995.

Language: Finding aid is written in
English.

Repository:
University of California, Los Angeles. Library Special Collections.

Property rights to the physical object belong to the UCLA Library Special Collections. Literary rights, including copyright,
are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright
and pursue the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.

Clifton's Cafeteria was opened at its first location in Los Angeles in 1931 by Clifford E. Clinton (b. Aug. 1900; d. Nov.
1969), a member of the Clinton family of restauranteurs (now spanning many generations). Clinton moved the cafeteria to Broadway
in 1935 and, though a few more satellite cafeterias were opened in later years, the Broadway location has remained in business
ever since that time. Nearly from the outset, Clinton began distributing these sheets of inspirational thoughts, poetry, short
prose pieces and a calendar of upcoming Los Angeles events for his customers. After a slightly irregular start, the circulars
began to be issued weekly in 1932; that frequency was retained for nearly 40 years, changing to monthly only in May of 1971,
just a few years after Clinton's death. The final issue came out in October, 1995, with a note from its editor, Esther York
Burkholder: "Over the years it has been a privilege and a pleasure to share with you bits of wisdom and beauty and humor from
the pens of many writers. ... Until, and if, we eventually resume publication, dear readers, you have our best wishes always".
Throughout the run, the circulars were printed on just one sheet, usually folded in half (lengthwise) to make 4 pages. Up
until 1967, the cafeteria's motto ("A tra-ful for a tri-ful") always appeared somewhere near the title; from 1967-1995 the
motto changed ("Food for the soul is important too"), and began appearing regularly below the title.

Scope and Content

The circulars contain quotes, facts about Los Angeles, announcements for events, meetings and recitals, useful telephone numbers,
and observations and sayings for the benefit of Clifton's Cafeteria customers. It began in 1931 and ceased publication in
1995.